


Late to the Party

by Cuptat



Series: Need A Room [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Barista Lance (Voltron), Company Christmas Party, Drinking, Fluff, M/M, Minor Angst, Police Officer Keith (Voltron), klance, stealing flowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-19 21:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17009490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuptat/pseuds/Cuptat
Summary: “I don’t need to try this time Jessica, I’ve already got someone.” Lance turned to her. She was wearing a short silver dress that would be cute if it wasn’t a size too small; it just ended up making her look desperate.“Oh, thought you broke that off, you know after you punched him.” She smugly stirred her drink. Some kind of cocktail with an olive.“That was my ex, and he had punched my current boyfriend.” Lance hated how everyone seemed to know he punched someone but not the details as to why. They like to think he just went around punching people for fun.“Oh really,” Jessica glanced around them, “Well, I don’t see him here.”“He’s on his way.” He hoped Keith was on his way.“Suuurrree.” Jessica saturated off into the crowd clearly not believing him. Lance glared after her.





	Late to the Party

**Author's Note:**

> I needed some fluff.

The lights were twinkling and colored decorations of red, green, and gold were everywhere. This year’s venue was larger than last and the open bar was better stocked. Lance nursed his beer by the bar as he made small conversation with Shay and Ryan. It was the annual Balmara Café company party where every employee from all the locations in the city, was invited to come to celebrate the holidays. It was no small affair. This year they had to rent out a large event room in an upscale hotel just to fit everyone.

Lance scanned the crowd around him looking for a couple of familiar faces. One that he was desperately waiting for and one that he’s desperate to avoid. Keith had to work but assured Lance he would be here, he just might be a bit late.

The other was Jessica, a one-time hookup that somehow turned into a competition. It was fun at first, over the past couple years, to see who could take home the hottest person at the party the year before, but this year Lance already had the hottest person.

You know, once he got here.

“Geeze, Lance are you even trying this time?” Jessica’s voice sounded behind him interrupting his conversation with Shay.

Lance rolled his eyes as Shay shot him a sympathetic look.

“I don’t need to try this time Jessica, I’ve already got someone.” Lance turned to her. She was wearing a short silver dress that would be cute if it wasn’t a size too small; it just ended up making her look desperate.

“Oh, thought you broke that off, you know after you punched him.” She smugly stirred her drink. Some kind of cocktail with an olive.

“That was my ex, and he had punched my current boyfriend.” Lance hated how everyone seemed to know he punched someone but not the details as to why. They like to think he just went around punching people for fun.

“Oh really,” Jessica glanced around them, “Well, I don’t see him here.”

“He’s on his way.” He hoped Keith was on his way.

“Suuurrree.” Jessica saturated off into the crowd clearly not believing him. Lance glared after her.

“What even is the point of this bet again?” Ryan’s voice sounded beside him making Lance jump.

“CHRIST! Could you not sneak up on me!” Lance huffed, “It’s mostly just bragging rights.”

“That’s pointless.”

“Well, Mr. Kinkade, it was all in good fun, until someone,” he gestured in the direction Jessica who was walking toward the bar, “started taking it a bit too seriously and rubbing in my face every chance she got.”

“Still pointless.” Ryan disappeared into the crowd in the direction of the snack table.

Lance didn’t really expect him to understand. Ryan Kinkade was their resident Demi, who would much rather talk about comics and photography than relationships.

Shay nudged Lance’s arm. “I’m sure Keith is on his way.”

____

“IF YOU SO MUCH AS WRIKLE MY SHIRT…”

“KEITH!”

Shiro glared until Keith had the suspect in cuffs and shoved him in the back of the squad car.

“We are almost done, try not to ruff up anyone more than necessary.” Shiro scolded as Keith walked around to the passenger seat. Shiro wouldn’t let him drive with how wound up he was.

“I’m late, I don’t like being late,” Keith said sliding in and sending a glare to the backseat. I should have been an easy call, a noise complaint, but the guy had to be an idiot and bolted when he saw them. Then they found drugs on him once he was caught.

“I’ll do all the paperwork so you can go. I know how much this means to Lance, he’s been talking about it for weeks. To me even.” Shiro smiled, “You’ve still got time to get there.”

“I know he even picked out my outfit.” Keith smoothed down the front of his red dress shirt under his black leather jacket, thankfully Shiro took the guy down so Keith’s clothes would get messed up.

“You look good by the way, didn’t realize you cleaned up so well.”

“Shut it...”

“No really, it’s a good look for you.” Shiro smiled.

Keith shrugged, it really was all Lance’s doing, he picked out the shirt and tie, he even matched it to one of Keith’s nicer jackets. More than that he made Keith want to wear it, he wanted to look good for Lance. They’ve been dating for months now and he was still trying to impress the guy.

Shiro pulled into the precinct and into the employee parking, right up behind the blue mustang Keith had drove to work since Lance rode to the party with Shay.

“Go on, don’t keep your Lover-boy Lance waiting!” Shiro practically kicked Keith out of the car. 

Keith didn’t hesitate and fished his keys out while waving Shiro off. He’ll have to give him something good for Christmas. 

 

____

Lance was about ready to snap. He was keeping his eyes trained ahead of him where Ryan was asking Shay if Hunk would give him cooking lessons after trying some of the appetizers Hunk had helped supply for the party.

It was hard with Jessica not even a few feet behind him tell a group of people about his love life. It was bad enough already that he was the source of gossip this year but she was finding anyone who would listen to her over dramatized version of events. Even making the effort to stand as close to Lance while doing so. No matter where he moved, she would find a group nearby to gossip with.

Her burst of loud laughter was the last straw. Lance turned and cut through the crowd to the nearest bathroom.

Breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn’t crowded. Heading to the sinks, he splashed some water on his face and tried to calm down. He just needed to hold out until Keith got here.

Behind him the toilet flushed and Pidge emerged from the stall to wash their hands in the sink next to him. “What’s up Lance?”

Lance took a moment to get over his shock, “Pidge what are you doing here?”

“You know I don’t care which bathroom I use as long as there is not a line.” Pidge rolled their eyes.

“NO. nonono! Why are you at _MY_ Christmas party! You don’t even work for Balmara Cafe.” Lance quickly dried his face.

“You know it’s one of my favorite past times to crash these horrible company Christmas parties.”

“That is a horrible past time and you know it, why are really here?”

“Fine, I’m a plus one, I’ve been hanging out with someone from the campus location.”

Lance grinned at them, “Awe, is it that cute dance major?” Lance tapped his lip, “Lily?”

“Maybe, but what is going on with you? You look five seconds away from punching someone.” Pidge grinned.

Lance deflated, “Because that is what everyone is talking about thanks to _Jessica_.”

“That girl you have the hookup bet with? I figured that with Keith here she would let it go.”

“Keith’s not here yet.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure he’s on his way.”

“I know... I know he’s on his way, it’s not his fault or anything. I just wish Jessica would back off, she’s having way too much fun making me miserable.”

Pidge thought for a moment. “You know Lily worked with her a bit and we were talking about it.”

Lance groaned.

“We think she was expecting you to call her back after your hookup and then when you didn’t, she created the bet to get back at you.”

“OH MY GOD!” Lance flung himself on the counter between sink, “That is totally something she would do.”

“I think maybe the gossip is just another way to get back at you since you’re not playing into the bet anymore.”

“Fuck my life.”

“Hang in there man, Lily and I will do some damage control with the gossip. You know tell people Jessica’s jealous and full of shit.” Pidge pushed their way out the door, “Try to have fun and tell Keith hi for me.”

“Thanks Pidge.” Lance called after them.

He took a few more minutes to compose himself before taking a deep breath and heading back out to the party.

Jessica was waiting for him.

“There you are, you know you can’t hide from me.” She was swirling a new drink in her hand, “So when are you going to admit this _boyfriend_ of yours if fake.”

 

____

Keith felt like he was later than late. The traffic was bad, then the parking was worse, he eventually gave up and paid for the valet parking. Glaring at the valet when they eyed the car but they said nothing as they handed him a numbered token. He may have Lance’s mustang running like a dream but it sure didn’t look like one.

He rushed into the hotel pausing just in the door with the realization he had no idea where he was supposed to go.

Nearby someone cleared their throat, “Can I help you... Officer?”

Keith turned to the receptionist nearby then glanced down at himself to see that he was in fact still wearing his badge on his belt.

“Oh, um, I’m here for a company party for the Balmara Cafe.”

The receptionist raised a brow.

“My partner works for them, I’m a plus one.” Keith clarified.

The receptionist smiled, “That is being held up on the 6th floor event room.” They pointed him to the elevators nearby. “It will be down the first hall on the left.”

Keith nodded a thanks and rushed over to the elevators. He was antsy after he pushed the button, waiting was not his strong suit.

There were large bundles of roses that were displayed between the elevators and Keith pondered if they were real.

A bell sounded and the doors in front of him slid open thankfully empty. With a quick glance around, making sure no one was looking, Keith snatched a single rose out of the display hiding it behind his back as he turned to push the number for the 6th floor. The doors closed and he shook off the excess water that dripped from the stem thankful to find that the rose was real.

The doors dinged open and he quickly made his way down to the first hall on the left finding the check-in table setup just outside of the door.

“Hello, are you an employee?” the woman at the table asked.

“No, I’m here with Lance McClain.” Keith tried to smile but he hated stuff like this, he just wanted to go in the damn room and find his boyfriend.

“Oh,” the woman lite up as if she was expecting him. It made Keith suspicious.

“You must be Keith,” the woman handed him a sticker name tag with his name already on it.

“Yeah...” Keith just held the tag on his finger as the woman pointed him to the door, as if he couldn’t find it... two feet away.

“Lance has been waiting for you! Have a good time!” She was way too cheery.

Keith nodded and pushed through the door into the party, crumpling the sticker tag and tossing it into the nearest trash as soon as the door behind him closed.

He wasn’t going to mess his jacket up with a sticker. People didn’t need to know who he was.

The party was in full force. There was dancing toward the back, a bar and food tables set up on the side. He didn’t pay too much attention to them as he scanned the crowd for those familiar brown hair and blue eyes. It didn’t take him long to find him, Lance was off to the side facing away from Keith while speaking with someone.

Cutting through the crowd Keith made his way over to them. He didn’t like the tension he could see in Lance’s shoulders. He glanced at the girl in the silver dress Lance was taking to, she seemed to have hit the bar already as she was slightly swaying on her feet.

Lance had his arms crossed in front of him, his back straight. He was saying something but Keith wasn’t close enough to hear. He was a few feet away when the girl glanced at him, then her voice was rising over the noise of the party, “Whatever Lance you lost and don’t want to admit it. Now watch how it’s done.”

Keith was not prepared for what happened next.

With a swing of her hips and a wobble on her heels she shoulder checked Lance or tried to. Lance didn’t even budge, Keith was kinda proud of him.

He didn’t have time to fully appreciate this as the girl was now in front of him swinging her arms up around his neck. “Hey handsome are you looking for someone to dance with?”

Keith tried not to vomit.

She smelled like the bar mixed with cheap perfume. He held his breath as he reached up and removed her hands from his person and stepped back.

“No. I’d rather dance with my boyfriend.” Keith took a step to the side out of her reach and closer to Lance who was watching with an amused smile hidden behind his hand.

Keith paused, “You might want to call yourself a ride or I’ll have to have one of my guys come pick up.” Keith turned just enough so the girl could see him tap his badge on his belt.

He didn’t wait for her response before turning back to Lance, holding out the rose for him, “Sorry I’m late.”

Lance was still hiding his smile behind his hand but his eyes were bright as they focused on Keith. He took the rose from Keith’s hand, stepping in close to brush a soft kiss on Keith’s lips. “Babe you have perfect timing.”

“I try.” 

“Now didn’t I hear something about a dance?” Lance took Keith’s hand dragging out to the dance floor.

 

____

Lance’s night had gone from terrible to perfect. All it took was the man in front of him to show up. Keith was swaying to the music and humming along to the song in Lance’s ear. He had gotten better at dancing since Lance took every opportunity to practice with him. Many of those times were just the two of them dancing around the kitchen when a good song came on that old radio.

They were in their own little world on the dance floor. Jessica had disappeared after her failed stunt with Keith. Pidge and Lily must have been doing a good job at damage control because Lance was no longer hearing his name in other people’s conversations. Or maybe he was just not noticing anymore since his focus was now elsewhere. Like on how damn good Keith looked, or how sweet it was that he gave Lance a rose as an apology for being late.

“You’re thinking too load.” Keith whispered.

“Mmm, I was thinking how sweet you are to get me a rose.”

“I stole it out of the display downstairs.”

Lance couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of him drawing the attention of those around them.

Keith’s smile was mischievous as Lance tried to control his laughter.

“Keith, you’re a police officer!” Lance giggled into Keith’s shoulder, “But it’s still sweet.”

“Worth it then.”

Lance smiled, it’s funny how he had wanted to show Keith off to all of his coworkers, but now that he’s here he just wants to keep him to himself.

“Let say we bail outta her early, go home and watch cheesy Christmas movies and maybe get some hot coco?” Lance ran his fingers over Keith’s tie straightening it a bit.

“Sounds like a plan.” Keith gently kissed Lance’s cheek before Lance was leading them to the door.

They said a quick goodbye to Shay and the others on their way out.

Lance’s perfect night just got better.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr [Cuptat](https://cuptat.tumblr.com/)
> 
> **Do Not Repost anywhere. I do not give anyone permission to post my work anywhere else.**


End file.
